I too am unhappy that such an attractive building is being demolished, but I am incensed that I've been lied to about swimming lessons for local schools. I specifically asked at the consultation about arrangements, and was told that alternative provision would be made. I have now found out that Derwentwater children in Y4 will get a term of lessons in total, rather than a year of once-a-week classes, because of the difficulty in getting them to Shepherd's Bush. The council won't pay for transport, and the school's had a prohibitive quote of £600 A WEEK (90 children in Y4) from the coach company, which is obviously beyond the reach of the PTA, so the kids are taking public transport which takes ages. The National Curriculum says children should be able to swim 25m by the time they go to secondary school. MANY of them not only cannot swim - their parents can't swim, they are from cultures that don't swim (or women don't), and they've never been to a swimming pool. I defy anybody to teach someone not water confident to swim in 8 half-hour lessons. So we'll have this big, shiny swimming pool - and a cohort of kids in Acton who can't swim. Fantastic. Thanks Ealing Council.
Jo-Anne Pugh ● 5092d